ReviewA Seafaring Saga: Presenting The Ulysse Nardin Marine Collection

When it comes to nautical timekeeping, Ulysse Nardin are undisputed giants. Since 1846, when founder Ulysse Nardin designed his first marine chronometer, the eponymous brand have won over 4,300 awards, including 18 gold medals, for their groundbreaking innovations in horology. Inspired by and named after these chronometers, the Ulysse Nardin Marine collection was introduced in 1996 to uphold the brand’s 178-year-old legacy of innovation and exploration. Today, the collection boasts enhanced chronometry and performance with timeless design cues that recall the brand’s vintage marine chronometers. Among these, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur series includes complications such as moon phase displays, annual calendars and dual time watches. These contemporary timepieces with vintage inspiration are everyday reminders of the history and legacy of marine chronometry.

Ulysse Nardin And The History Of Marine Chronometry

Marine chronometers were extremely precise instruments used for navigation when at sea. Rolf Schneider, who took over the brand in 1983, revived vintage marine chronometers in the form of wristwatches. In 2017, the Marine Torpilleur was released. Named after small, fast boats that carried torpedoes, this relatively smaller and thinner wristwatch takes design cues from vintage Ulysse Nardin tiomepieces, and yet, is contemporary for its movement and comfortable on the wrist.

Compared with the brand’s Freak and Diver X watches, the Ulysse Nardin Marine line is relatively conservative. The real innovation in this collection is the calibres housed within. Created in-house, the movements housed in Marine timepieces feature silicon (silicium in French) balance wheel, with DiamonSil treatment for the escapement. Curved lugs, a slim, fluted bezel, elongated Roman numerals and ornate, pear-shaped timekeeping hands are some of the collection’s instant identifiers.

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur

Sized at 42mm, with a height of just 11mm, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur is the most popular watch in the collection. A sub-dial at 12 o’clock displays the impressive 60 hour power reserve of the UN-118 calibre that boasts enhanced efficiency and anti-magnetism. Offsetting this, at six o’clock is a small seconds. The bicompax layout is inspired by that of a vintage Ulysse Nardin pocket chronometer. The Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur with a white dial most resembles this vintage timepiece. A knurled bezel on the 42mm steel case frames the dial in white. Elegant, black Roman numerals are disrupted by the two sub dials, with minimal accents in red. Against this, blued timekeeping hands stand out. The black dial version features a rose gold case and bezel, with matching accents, and hour markers in white. A small circular date aperture rests within the sub-dial at six o’clock on these timepieces.

Ulysse Nardin Marine SHOP THE COLLECTION

Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase

A moonphase display on an oceangoing icon is more than symbolic. Ulysse Nardin has been designing moonphase watches since the late 19th century. The first Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Moonphase watches were presented in 2021 as limited editions. However, their popularity prompted the brand to add the watch to the collection as a non-limited edition in 2022. The 42mm rose gold case is polished and satin finished, with a fluted rose gold bezel. A varnished white dial features dual counters at 12 for the power reserve indicator, and at six for the gorgeous moon phase display and the small seconds. Set against a dark blue starry night sky backdrop, the moon is highlighted by rose gold timekeeping hands. Powering the watch is the automatic manufacture calibre UN-119, with a silicon balance-spring and DiamonSil treatment on the escapement wheel and anchor. The Marine Torpilleur Moonphase timepiece offers a power reserve of 60 hours.

The 42mm rose gold case of the Marine Torpilleur Moonphase is polished and satin finished, with a fluted rose gold bezel

₹24,80,000

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Ulysse Nardin has been designing moonphase watches since the late 19th century. They released the first Marine Torpilleur Moonphase watches in 2021 as limited editions

₹24,80,000

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A varnished white dial features dual counters at 12 for the power reserve indicator, and at six for the gorgeous moon phase display and the small seconds

₹24,80,000

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Powering the watch is the automatic manufacture calibre UN-119, with a silicon balance-spring and DiamonSil treatment on the escapement wheel and anchor

₹24,80,000

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Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Dual Time

In a slightly larger case size of 44mm, the Ulysse Nardin Marine Torpilleur Dual Time watch features the distinctive knurled bezel, a crown at three, and two push pieces at eight and 10 o’clock. Marked with a ‘+’ or a ‘–’, these push pieces are used to instantly change the local time, while the home time is displayed in a circular aperture at nine. A double aperture at two o’clock displays the date, and a sub-dial at six houses the small seconds. All this is arranged on a navy blue dial, with Roman numerals in white around the periphery. The dial features a grained texture in the middle, with a satin finished backdrop for the hour markers. Hidden behind the dial but visible through the open caseback is the UN-334 manufacture calibre, with dual time, small seconds and date functions, and a power reserve of 48 hours.

In a slightly larger case size of 44mm, the Marine Torpilleur Dual Time watch features the distinctive knurled bezel, a crown at three, and two push pieces at eight and 10 o’clock

₹12,60,000

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The second time zone is displayed in a circular window at nine, while a double aperture at two o’clock displays the date, and a sub-dial at six houses the small seconds

₹12,60,000

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As the Marine Torpilleur series demonstrates, Ulysse Nardin have transcended marine chronometry, leaving fans to look forward to how the brand will combine innovation with their impressive history time and time again.